Faro Travel Guide
The provincial capital of the Algarve, Faro is a modern, lively city with attractive shopping precincts, good restaurants and a frenetic nightlife. Thousands of travellers pass through the city en route to and from the resorts of the Algarve. Those who choose to linger awhile will find a town full of charm and colour with an interesting history and the feel of a true Portuguese fishing port. There are some sightseeing opportunities, mostly centred in the Old Town or Cidade Velha, which is entered through an 18th century gate and enclosed by the remnants of medieval walls. Faro’s most famous attraction is a macabre one at the Igreja do Carmo, which features a chapel whose walls are decorated with the bones of more than 1,200 monks disinterred from the neighbouring cemetery. Another worthwhile attraction near the city is the Ria Formosa Natural Park, and a short distance to the north is the peaceful village of Estoi, boasting a pink Roccoco palace and Roman ruins dating from the 1st century. For the beach, one has to travel a few miles. A long sandy spit lies across a bridge near the International Airport.
Activities
Faro’s main attraction is its quaint old town, where visitors can wander and enjoy some architectural sightseeing and brush up on their history. There are some worthy museums in the town, too, like the archaeological Municipal Museum housed in a former convent and a maritime museum displaying a collection of model ships and boats. The city offers a taste of the traditional old Portugal for visitors making a stopover en route to an Algarve resort. Those who want to try out the local beach will find it to be a clean stretch of golden sand where umbrellas and sunbeds can be hired and all sorts of watersports undertaken.
Negatives
Faro is a bustling, working city and not a holiday resort town as such, the emphasis being on its historical attractions rather than fun in the sun.
Night Life
Being a university city, Faro has a vibrant student population who ensure that nightlife keeps pumping. It all happens along the Rua do Prior and in the narrow alleys off of Rua Conselheiro Bivar and Rua Infante Dom Henrique. Dance clubs get going around 11pm or midnight, while bars are open for business any time from noon until the early hours. The Upa Upa Café and Bar at 51 Rua Conselheiro Bivar draws locals and tourists. The nightclub, Dux, is the place to party until the early hours and the trendsetters should head for the Fashion Kaffe.
Shopping
Faro’s main shopping area is in the heart of town along the Rua Santo Antonio and the Rua Francisco Gomes. There is also an interesting, colourful produce market on the Largo do Mercado open every day where visitors can mingle with the locals. Good buys in Faro are the local handcrafts, like basketware and embroidered goods, local wines and traditional clothing. Also sought after are locally made ceramic tiles decorated with traditional motifs.
Travel Guide powered by Word Travels, copyright © 2006 Globe Media Ltd. All rights reserved. By its very nature much of the information in this guide is subject to change at short notice and travellers are urged to verify information on which they're relying with the relevant authorities. Neither Globe Media nor Cheapflights can accept any responsibility for any loss or inconvenience to any person as a result of information contained above.
